Charlotte homicide rate dropped more than 30 percent from 2017

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It was a violent weekend in Charlotte with two murders. Even though it was not the note police wanted to end the year on, 2018 has been a much better year in terms of homicide numbers.

This year, the number declined to 56, which was a drop of more than 30 percent.

Last year, homicide numbers in Charlotte spiked to 85, the largest increase in a decade.

Police said they deployed a number of strategies focusing on decreasing conflict.

"One of the primary responsibilities of our officers on any call to problem solve and help de-escalate the situation," CMPD Lt. Brad Koch said.

Charlotte City Councilmember Julie Eiselt, who heads the Public Safety Committee, believes the economy played a role in the decrease.

"People are working, there is less economic despair out there," Eiselt said.

Even though the numbers decreased from 2017 to 2018, Judy Williams from Mothers from Murdered Offspring said no one will be satisfied until the city has no homicides.

"I don't think it matters to the families that we have less homicides. I think when we have no homicides it will start to matter to families. Then, those family members don't get pulled into this family of grief," Judy Williams from Mothers of Murdered Offspring said.

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